Welcome to the Family
by MetaMirage
Summary: How hard is it to say 'I love you' for the first time? Pretty difficult when you accidently say it to your girlfriend's mother! Why did he agree to go on this trip again? It's only going to get him killed /SasuSaku/AU/
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: 'Naruto' and 'Naruto Shippuden' is the works of Masashi Kishimoto. **

* * *

**Welcome to the family**

There comes a moment in every girl's life that defines cherished memory.

"Mum… Dad…"

There comes a moment in every boy's life feared more than anything.

"This is my boyfriend."

Meeting the parents.

Silence. Complete and utter silence.

"Sakura…"

Sakura almost melted into the floor as her father squared his shoulders and tapped his balding head. He was trying to _compete _with her boyfriend and felt _intimidated_ by him.

Oh no. Oh god-strike-him-down no.

"Sakura?"

The worst was yet to come. Her mother was looking at the love of her life with a flabbergasted expression, bugging eyes and all.

"Mum," Sakura said under her breath as her mother outright pointed at her boyfriend like an accusing witness in court. Then without a word ran down the hall and out of sight. And her parents were freaks and she had warned (prepared, drilled and braced) her boyfriend but that didn't stop him from raising an eyebrow. She pulled at her hair when her father offered to shake with kung-fu grip.

Then her mother stormed back in.

"Mum what are you-!"

A photograph (Sakura's 7th grade class photograph to be exact) was held up against him, eyes darted from one to the other.

"I was right! It is him!"

Oh no.

"Kenji! Quick look at this! It's Uchiha Sasuke! That's him right _there_!"  
"What?! It can't be?"  
"That boy she used to follow home! Look Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sakura almost burst into tears from the sheer embarrassment as her (ahem stalker) past was exposed. Her father shot a violent fist in the air, a battle cry for a man hunt, search and destroy mission. "Uchiha Sasuke!? The boy that broke my baby angel's heart _seven_ times!"

"Ah! Uchiha Sasuke!"  
"Uchiha bloody Sasuke!?"

Sasuke looked to the Haruno's in subzero fear, backing off. "Nice to… finally meet you?"

* * *

"You are being so good about this," Sakura said resting her hands on Sasuke's shoulders "So, so good."

They had ducked into the kitchen as her parents went to get their bags. Sasuke felt their knees knock together rather symbolically. He was going into the mountains, to her parents summer house where there was no escape, possibly no clean running water, dust mites and probably smarter than your average bears _for a whole week._

"I'm being more than good," he decided.

"And by high heaven you will be justly rewarded," Sakura said with a nod and Sasuke gave a killer smirk, one of his many lethal assets. She got ready to leave, hearing the car boot close. "Now remember what we talked about-"

She gave a light squeal when strong arms wrapped around her.

"Tell me _exactly _how I am going to be rewarded," Sasuke said friskily and she shut her eyes. "Tell me how the man that apparently broke you're heart _seven_ times is going to get his due."

"No dirty talk," Sakura said, trying to remove his hands. "Remember we went over this and-"

"So it involves dirty talk," Sasuke deduced and her smoking hot boyfriend needed to keep his mouth shut and hands _off_. Or she was going to maul him on the kitchen floor, the good unwholesome way.

They started kissing and Sakura's clarity slipped away. She was madly in love with Sasuke. They'd been having nothing but great times together (ahem great sex) and he was devoted enough to spend an entire week with her parents _and _buy her that 350 dollar pair of red stilettos she had been drooling over.

Sasuke lifted her up on the counter. He couldn't be crazier about her. He didn't think it was even possible for him to be this crazy about Haruno Sakura, a girl that up until graduation he had considered nothing more than a friend. It felt like his heart was clinically insane.

They continued to kiss heatedly, completely oblivious.

"Ahem!"

Sakura jumped, eyes widening when she noticed her parents leaning against the door. Her mother was not impressed and her father looked murderously at Sasuke with the clear intent to kill.

_And there goes the children _Sakura thought miserably. S_o much for my good Sasuke first impression. _

"Sakura we do eat off that counter." Mrs. Haruno huffed at the unsanitary contamination of her nice clean kitchen. "So kindly get down."

Sakura scrambled down, stepping away from Sasuke in damage control. "I…I lost my earring and Sasuke he was just helping me find it."

"And let me guess; you dropped it in you're mouth? Down his pants? Please Sakura give us _some_ credit here."

Sakura blushed in humiliation. Sasuke tried not to mirror the look he was getting from Mr. Haruno for that would be unwise… and murderous.

Sasuke found a need to appear diplomatic before his judges. "We were discussing a problem and-"

"Honey what you were 'discussing' is a whole different kind of problem and I suggest you not to go into any more detail around my husband if you want to keep your manhood."

Eye-twitching-cut throat-homicidal-overly-protective-fatherly-look

"…Right."

* * *

Sasuke screwed up his face.

"Sakura it's a station wagon, a soccer mom station wagon."  
"Sasuke don't be such a snob."

He almost shuttered watching the beastly father creature repeatedly slam the car door, trying to get it to close.

"Can't we just take my car?" Sasuke pushed. He couldn't stand to be cramped in the back seat like he was 15 all over again. Not when he could be driving (Sakura sitting pretty in his passenger seat) "You, me… the top down…"

She shut her eyes as he brushed her rosette hair back with his fingertips. "I know how much you love the wind in your hair…"

He failed to sway her when she argued, "As tempting as that sounds Sasuke, you promised. It may not look like it but my parents are having some serious marital troubles and given three hours in a car alone they may rip out each others throats."

She finally let go of Sasuke's hand walking towards the car. He was frowning in deliberation when she looked back.

"Have you ever considered just letting them finish each other off?"

"Sasuke!"

* * *

Sasuke was going to have nightmares about eyes and rear-view mirrors. Familiar green eyes constantly glared at him but the father fiend's shade was so unlike Sakura's (more nuclear run-off than emerald).

He pretended not to notice but it was beginning to tick him off. Three hours in he decided enough was enough. He placed his had on Sakura's knee and smirked back into the mirror with a clear 'what was once yours is now ALL mine' look.

_SCREECH! _

His shoulder impacted with the window closest to him and he glared tenfold at Mr. Haruno's little car maneuvering skills, successfully separating he and Sakura.

"Kenji! What on earth did you do that for?!"  
"What are you talking about woman?!"  
"Are you trying to kill us by swerving like that?! You are a terrible driver!"  
"It was an accident Hana!"  
"Ha! No way was that and accident!"

Sakura and Sasuke decided after the epic all-the-damn-way-to-the-cabin argument on safety, driving and that broken dinner plate set that it would be a VERY long time before they even thought about marriage.

* * *

Sasuke was pleasantly surprised when he entered the cabin. It was clean, it was furnished (although in his youth he had been dubbed 'nature boy' he really had been fantasizing something more upscale on this first holiday with Sakura) and it most definitely would have warm water.

"This is a very nice house," he spoke and Sakura smiled as her mother paused mid-step at the compliment. Sasuke was doing well-

"Where's the bedroom?" he said deviously to Sakura.

Scratch that. Scratch out its eyes.

"_Your _bedroom is down stairs," Mr. Haruno snarled "_My_ wife, _my_ daughter and _my_self are going to be upstairs. Up _my _stairs that I paid for!"

Issues much…

"_We _paid for, it's not all about you," Mrs. Haruno said curtly stalking up the stairs.

"What?" Sasuke protested. They were being _separated_? Separated like they were at a school camping trip? Please. "Sakura and I live together. What do you think that we don't sleep in the same bed back home?"

"Not under my roof you don't!" was flailed unceremoniously.

"Our roof!"

* * *

They may as well have divided a line down the middle of the room.

"You are insufferable-"  
"Intolerable-"  
"Infuriating when you think your right."  
"I am right Hana!" Kenji snapped looking in the mirror critically. He once had a thick, full head of hair like Sasuke. What happened and _when_ did it happen?

"Tsk. You couldn't be more wrong,"

"Go midlife crisis somewhere else," Kenji cut in vehemently.

Hana faultered. She was rather sensitive lately and in Kenji's words 'doing too many dammed teenage things' like getting hair extensions and her nails done on a regular basis. She looked hurt before she darkened.

"Say's the man obsessing in the mirror."

Glower. "I am not obsessing."

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who has the biggest beer gut of all?"

And. That. Was. it.

"I am taking a bath!" was announced with daggers, tipped with poison set on fire!

And a ginger pat of the beer belly… he used to have such a flat stomach too...

"Hmm whatever dear. Don't forget to flex your butter biceps in the mirror while your there."

* * *

Sakura stared at the door on edge. Even though she had been intimate with Sasuke many times before she still felt naughty. She knew her dad would try and pull something stupid like this. Which was why she had organized with Sasuke _before_ the trip (way back in their apartment) to sneak into her room in all his stealthy glory so they could have their fun and have him disappear back downstairs by morning. No one would be the wiser.

She was a genius.

That was until she heard the scream.

* * *

In his defense it had been dark and Sakura and her mother were likened in height, weight and hair colour.

Mrs. Haruno had turned away when a body got in the bed next to her. No matter how tired she was, she would not fall asleep facing her neanderthal husband. How degrading.

"Why are you being like that?" was said in a deep voice that even in her hazy lethargic state she knew did_ not_ belong to her husband.

"Sakura?"

Her eyes widened as she was pulled back into a young, hard and overall _muscled _chest.

_Where the hell is the beer belly?! _She panicked. She gave a yelp only to have her mouth covered.

"You can't be mad at me," Sasuke breathed. He needed to do this. He had the perfect opportunity. He set himself milestones. 'At graduation I am going to hug Sakura back' and 'after her first year of med school I am going to ask her to move in with me.'

And as hard as it was to say out loud the milestone on this trip was…

"I love you Sakura."

And he felt so unimaginably open but good at the same time.

That was until he was kicked in the shin.

He lost his grip, flipping her flat on her back before clambering on top of her to look her in the eyes-

And he screamed.

* * *

Sakura ran into her parent's bedroom. What she found managed to be disturbing and hilarious all at once. Her mother was sitting up in bed looking stunned, her father, in a towel, hollering at the top of his lungs with rapid arm movements to match. The object of his rage (her dear Sasuke) was on the floor and repeating 'I thought it was Sakura, I thought it was Sakura' horrified.

And it didn't take a rocket scientist.

"You thought it was my daughter! That is even worse! You stay away from my daughter! Stay away from my wife!"  
"It was an honest mistake Kenji."  
"Honest. How is- _honest_?! Stop defending the blind manwhore!"

They all looked at Sakura when she erupted into laughter. Hana followed suit and Sasuke eventually loosened up to a sheepish look instead of upset/angry/scared for life. Kenji just went back to the bathroom, slamming the door.

Sakura chuckled all the way to her room, teasing Sasuke as he headed back down stairs.

"Don't get lost again now."

"Shut. Up."

* * *

Three things greeted him in the dining room.

Sakura giggled.

He scowled at that.

Mr. Haruno hissed.

He pursed his lips at that.

"Good morning Sasuke!" was greeted flamboyantly. "How was your sleep?"

He blushed at that?

Hey he was still embarrassed from last night and seeing Mrs. Haruno alone could decorate his cheeks in a pink hue. He blinked as Mr. Haruno quickly stole the seat at the breakfast bar next to Sakura and he would (much to his horror) have to sit between the parents.

Hell.

Sakura immediately gave him her plate as she insisted she was on a perpetual diet. It was a good set up for him as he constantly had leftovers.

And hell had good pancakes.

"Planning to starve my daughter are you?" Mr. Haruno seethed. "You little bloodsucking leech."

"Dad!" Sakura said indignantly. She was ignored.

"What kind of message are you sending Uchiha! My baby angel will have poor body image!"  
"Daddy! I'm on a diet!"  
"Gah! It's already started!"

Now ordinarily Sasuke would have input (and it would get him into trouble) but he was to busy trying to stop himself from going bright red as Sakura's mother looked at him.

Mrs. Haruno looked at Sasuke with an almost science project interest. He was trying to look away but kept looking back. She was having quiet the effect on him. She tried not to laugh remembering how he proclaimed his love to a complete stranger. She figured _that_ was torture enough and besides, she may still be unsure if he was right for her daughter but he certainly did love her. He had spoken from his heart last night.

So she cut him a break. "Would you like some more pancakes Sasuke?"

"Okay," he murmured hiding behind his fringe but offering his plate up. She couldn't help but think it was juvenile, hiding from the world behind bangs.

He happily chewed away at the delicious food and noted Mr. Haruno wasn't eating. He figured anyone would eat these up as quickly as possible.

"What a healthy appetite," Mrs. Haruno said proudly. She had secretly wanted a son as well as a daughter and had a good I've-done-my-job feeling seeing an empty plate instead of slim pickings.

"Well these are good," Sasuke spoke really wishing Sakura wasn't so small as to be completely hidden by her father. "I don't think I've ever had pancakes that are this inspired. Sakura said you work in a restaurant right?" he tried to recall.

And. He. Was. Not. Prepared.

"DID YOU HEAR THAT YOU TWO!"

He almost jumped at the shrill sound. "Hallelujah someone here _actually _appreciates my cooking! Yipee!"

…Yipee?

"You hear that Kenji! Inspired! Inspired!"

Sasuke didn't flinch when he was kicked under the table and the beastly father demon hissed, "now look what you've done."

"Well Sasuke," was said with incredible cheer "I am a chef, not that these two appreciate my skills. Sakura hardly eats and Kenji hates my cooking."

There was an almighty pause and oh no. They wanted him to say something. He had sides to choose. The overjoyed mum he basically copped a feel from or the dreaded protector of 'baby angel'. It was a loss either way, getting caught up in marital trench warfare.

People didn't call him smooth for nothing.

"I keep telling Sakura she should eat more," Sasuke said smugly. Oh yeah, he was so the player. Daddy dearest and Mummy most darling all in one critical shot. Dad wanted her to eat more and a mum orientated cooking compliment to boot.

...An indignant huff from Sakura but that could so be smoothed over later.

He was rewarded with lovely pancakes and lovely silence. He was going to pull out all the moves to leave a good impression.

"So Sasuke, what is it you actually do?" broke the silence rudely. Sasuke turned to Mr. Haruno.

"I'm a stunt double."

Both parents blinked at him.

"A stunt double?" was processed slowly in disbelief.

"Yeah," Sasuke said trying to get Sakura's attention. Did they not approve of this occupation? They didn't talk about this…

"You can't be serious," Kenji said incredulously as conjured scenes of Sasuke on a movie set, sitting on a foldout chair floated into his head. The boy really had more of a desk job look (one where he would be miserable and depressed 9-5 because it was something tedious like spreadsheet programming) because that was justice. Sasuke didn't deserve anything glamorous. No way.

"He is daddy," Sakura sighed impatiently. It dawned on Sasuke she was in fact a daddy's girl by the whining tone and the way her father said 'of course sweetheart' caving to her immediately.

"Tell him about all the blockbuster movies you've been in Sasuke," Sakura said. She liked to brag about him but he preferred to keep to himself. It was awkward as he was gawked at. Why did she have to say blockbuster?

"Alright… well-"  
"We are waiting."  
"Daddy!"  
"Kenji!"

Sasuke swallowed. He was not used to parents or happy families for that matter. He finally got the sense to soldier on.

"Have you seen 'Silent Warrior'?"

Kenji responded immediately with a flat, "No."

Sasuke worked mainly on martial art movies, most b-grade straight to DVD pieces but 'Silent Warrior' was recent and in cinemas. Sakura saying blockbuster movies really only constituted one… and his biggest playing card just got shot down in flames.

He tried again hopefully with one of the movies he had really enjoyed.

"Umm… 'Mercury fall out'?"  
"What a stupid name."  
"Daddy!"  
"But it is darl-"  
"I can't believe you just said that!"  
"Honey… don't be upset now."  
"You're just jealous!"  
"But sweetheart-"  
"Apologize to Sasuke! Now!"

It was a scary bossy side of Sakura that was new to Sasuke. His girlfriend showing no fear in the face of Haruno Kenji. He couldn't be more thankful she was on his side.

"I've heard of it," Mrs. Haruno cut off impressed. It was actually an unconcious save so her husband wouldn't have to suffer in his apology to such a junior man. "A prominent indie movie with a lot of good reviews. I myself liked it. I guess you were stunting the leading role, you look very similar."

"Yes," Sasuke said in relief. He really didn't understand his relief… they were just parents. Maybe it was because he didn't have any.

"Now don't take this the wrong way…" Hana said slowly looking to Sakura for some kind of allowance "but you are much better looking than the lead actor. Why didn't they just cast you if you can do your own stunts?"

Sasuke was taken aback and Sakura piped in with an "Isn't he just mum. I keep telling him to go into acting."

There was a scrapping noise as Kenji's grinded his knife into his (no wait _their_) nice black marble counter top. The flux of jealousy he felt from his wife's compliment to the (ugly just ugly) pretty boy hit harder than expected.

"No," Sasuke said shaking his head rather gruffly. "I lack emotion. Besides I like the idea of one day getting my choreography in a film."  
"Well maybe you should think of modeling as well then, because it is a waste of talent if you ask-"

_SLAM!_

Everyone looked to Kenji as he stood in a rage. He looked at Sasuke territorially. This was _his _wife and _his _daughter giving _pity_ compliments and these were _his _women not this flashy Hollywood wanabee intruders. This was his family and Sasuke was going to have no part among them. Ever.

He was going to break his lovely daughter and this _thing _up. His angel could do much better and he was going to remove the annoying nagging envy that seemed to surface whenever his wife looked at the misfortunate excuse of a young man. He didn't like Sasuke. Period. The boy simply had to go. His announcement was a ground out;

"Who wants to go camping?"

Because out there in the wilderness there are _plenty_ of good places to hide a body.

* * *

**TBC **


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for the favorites and alerts! Special thanks to the reviewers.

* * *

**Welcome to the family**

Sakura stared at the valley below from the cliff top. The rolling green pastures were as beautiful in winter as she remembered in summer. The seclusion of the ledge (a reward for her climb) put her at her most serene. The nostalgia was overwhelming and she couldn't stop the smile. It only broadened when arms wrapped around her from behind.

"I've been looking everywhere for you," was murmured in her ear making her comfortably shift. The ease of their touch reinforced it was her one and only.

Sasuke watched the forest pulling her in a little tighter when there was a gale of wind. They adjusted to each other and Sakura felt like it was a milestone in their relationship.

"I used to come up here for almost whole days as a kid," Sakura said peacefully, her childhood flooding back to her. "It's so beautiful up here isn't it Sasuke."

It wasn't a question because she knew he would never answer. 'Sasuke aren't the colours so divine?' a comment at a gallery on a most beautiful painting was always met with a bored look or 'Sasuke do you think this looks good on me?' was usually met with a smirk and 'no, you'd look better with it off'.

He just wasn't the romantic type when it came to… well anything. It weighted her down that no matter how many times she said she loved him he would never say it back. It made her almost want to throw herself off the cliff at the thought of him never saying it at all.

The warmth from his body went right down to her fingertips and she wished he would know that feeling too. So when he turned her around she had to share something he could understand. She went up on her toes to return the kiss-

_Donk_

They both pulled away in shock, Sakura looking to the sky and Sasuke rubbing the back of his head at the pain.

Something just hit him. They searched around in confusion before looking to their feet.

"…is that a pinecone?"

* * *

Kenji juggled a fresh pinecone in his hand with a satisfied look on his face. Binoculars and his prized baseball pitching arm (fast ball naturally) were at the ready.

"That's right…" he said, not sounding like a psychotic over protective father. "Try kiss her again Uchiha and be ready for round two. I'm waiting…"

"Oh Kenji," Hana sighed, shaking her head in a slow disappointed motion.

Her husband had _absolutely_ no concept of shame "What?"

* * *

Kenji readjusted his pack before looking to the other three identical ones.

The plan to break Sakura and Sasuke up had been simple. Expose Sasuke Uchiha as the lesser man that he was, a man afraid of the great outdoors (unlike his baby angels courageous father who _belonged_ in the outdoors) a man too Hollywood glamour that the thought of dirt had him running for his moisturizer.

But when Sasuke cleanly kicked over a dying tree to cross the river, walking Sakura and Hana to the other side without a single falter before offering his hand to the remaining Hanuro, Kenji realized.

The Hollywood he currently faced was of the action hero variety. The (machine gun toting, motorcycle driving, can take his whisky whilst his sidekick coughs and sputters unmanly and wimp like) run of the mill macho man was going to prove more difficult than he anticipated…

But Sasuke was such a pretty (ugly!) boy he had assumed he was good for nothing more than looking pretty. He rejected the hand offered to him, wobbling his own way across because the Uchiha seemed to be crossbred with a cat (an ugly cat!) in a testament to his perfect balance. Sasuke seemed to shrug with a 'suit yourself' and yes… Kenji was going to suit himself.

At the last second he pretended to lose his balance, grabbing a hold of the leech called boyfriend to his lovely little girl-

_SPLASH! _

And dumped him in the freezing cold water.

* * *

Sasuke glared and shivered. Sakura explained to him that it was an accident but _he knew_. He knew that passive aggressive old man had tried to kill him. He lost his pack (and could therefore die of hunger with out supplies) and he was wet and going to freeze (to death).

He was astounded Sakura was clueless to the fact her father was maliciously trying to kill him.

He watched Kenji go over to Hana, knowing that small, balding (ugly) fat man was his biggest advisory. Kenji was going down.

* * *

"I'm offering you a once in a lifetime opportunity."

Hana looked to her husband slowly as he looked gravely into the distance, his pose that of a powerful man with high standing patriotic values. He belonged on billboards, on national broadcasts and within a country controlling office. For his daughters welfare he could be the world's biggest dictator.

"I'm offering you the opportunity to help me Hana, as a team we can break Sakura and Sasuke up. I don't like the boy. I have never liked the boy. He is no good for our daughter no matter how much she says she loves him. He is no good for this family."

Hana watched her daughter as she pulled at a tendril of her sitting boyfriend's dripping wet hair, his response a sour look. Sakura giggled happily.

"He doesn't stand a chance," was growled. "Not if you and I combine our influence. I know you don't like him either."

Hana looked down.

"You can be my sidekick per say. We will drive him out."

She felt her mouth curve up and reached into her bag.

Kenji twitched looking to the item she produced and that hag of a traitor! It was unforgivable! That double crossing liar!

Hana went over to her daughter and Sasuke. She bent down to his level and he stiffened before his head was covered.

With a towel.

"Everyone deserves a second chance."

* * *

Now Kenji was mad. He was mad at his snake of a wife for her double crossing, dirty betrayal to that stupid rat-bag boy. He was mad at himself for how upset the attention his wife gave Sasuke made him. It got to him, which it shouldn't.

Sakura gave him a dazzling smile in thanks as he pulled a low branch back for her with a gracious 'thank you' stepping delicately over the rocks with perfect precision before brushing past him.

How could he ever be mad at that?

Sasuke on the other hand…

_Thwack!_

Much to his dismay the boy was fast, dodging the released tree branch with reflexes to rival a martial artist but then Kenji remembered the boy WAS a martial artist-

'_Eight different styles he has mastered daddy. And top of his-'_

and blah, blah, blah, blah- BLAH!

Sasuke shouldn't be allowed to even exist let alone date his daughter. The tree attacks hopefully would cut of his head or something like in that movie (which Sasuke better _not_ have stunted in).

So what if it hadn't worked the first three times, he'd just get him on the fourth. Then all would be well again with his wife and daughter.

* * *

Thirteen times!

Sasuke fisted his hand in sheer unadulterated annoyance.

Thirteen! The old man had tried to hit him with a low branch thirteen times! Why was a stubborn and persistent idiot!

"You okay Sasuke?" Sakura said warily and he looked right through her. No, he was not okay.

In one sudden movement he was in front and leading. Kenji was behind him and was going to remain behind him. He tried. Lord knows he had tried.

_Thwack! _

"Ouch! Son of a-"

Sasuke smirked resting his hand on the trunk of the tree.

Sasuke- 1

Sakura's old (ugly) man- 0

* * *

Kenji rubbed his stinging nose giving a miserable sniff from the tree whiplash. He ignored Hana's amused look vehemently, that sadistic woman of his _enjoyed_ his pain. He noted bitterly "Lucky shot."

* * *

Puff. Puff. Puff.

Oh god he couldn't breathe. His legs ached in objection as he pushed forward making his body collectively scream a 'no!'

But he had to beat him (into the ground). He had to be on top (and kick him down). He had to be in the lead.

Kenji grit his teeth as Sasuke looked _back_ at him and the boy was young and fit (he'd give him that) and probably ran for at least an hour every morning. Even worse Sasuke seemed to be under the impression that he had leadership skills. Which was preposterous as the boy was only twenty something and respect your elders!

"Just give it up!" Sasuke's booming voice rang casually from really not that far ahead…

(Just enough to have to shout at the top of his lungs)

No, it had been an echo. Yeah that was it. Happened_ all_ the time.

"Never!" Kenji shouted back, almost shaking his fist at the pest. He was supposed to be the one in charge. He was _used_ to being the one in charge. He was used to his daughter and wife working with him as a team. He was used to being their protector and guide, their savior in a time of need. No way was a younger model taking that away from him. It was his duty- no his _right_ as head of this family to look after…

He turned back suddenly through the dense forest. The _empty_ dense forest, stopping still.

"…Girls?"

* * *

Sakura and Hana leaned against opposing trees, Hana surveying her nails in critique. She didn't look up when her daughter spoke, staring at one nail in particular.

"When do you think they'll realize?" Sakura said apprehensively.

…and was that a chip in her new manicure?

"Who cares."

* * *

It went fast.

"Sasuke!" Sakura said thankfully, when Sasuke finally returned ghost like without a sound. She went over to hug him and he waited for her to get to him, keeping his arms in his usual rigid position. She didn't have to hug him every time she saw him.

"Dad!"

And Sakura went past him. _Right_ past him.

Sasuke frowned slightly, Mrs. Hanaro in the background raising a delicate eyebrow. Sakura lowering her stick holding father down to help him catch his breath and honestly it hadn't been _that_ bad. It was the man's own fault for trying to keep up with him. Sasuke himself hadn't even broken a sweat.

It annoyed him when Sakura offered up her canteen because well… her father had one already. He didn't. It got lost in the water.

And he was kind of… not really but sort of…

He was thirsty.

And Sakura was supposed to have his back first. When they went out with friends she always jumped to his defense and now he realized he took that for granted as she fussed over her father.

"What about me?" he mumbled but it appeared Kenji had super hearing. He lowered the drink bottle, refreshed and leering.

"Haven't you had enough water?" Kenji sneered and Sasuke's brow tensed ever so slightly. Not really that noticeable unless you had a magnifying glass.

"Oh sorry Sas-"

And she didn't get to finish her father quickly pouring the remainder of the water over his feet. Sasuke tensed a little more. Kenji was incredibly smug saying 'it was hot' and banging his makeshift walking stick primitively. It seemed to go; _Ha-ha I win. _

"Here you go."

Sasuke spun instantly as Sakura's mother held out her drink bottle giving him a warm smile "You lost yours didn't you."

When Sasuke took the drink bottle there was a hissing sound. Sakura exclaimed 'snake!' looking around desperately. She did not like snakes or poison for that matter.

"It's not a snake," Sasuke spoke and he watched as Sakura visibly relaxed at his words. He felt he could say the sky was green some days and she would all but agree.

It wasn't a snake that hissed, it was Kenji.

Sasuke-2

Kenji-0

* * *

_They're doing it again_ Hana thought resisting the urge to role her eyes. Her territorial husband was trying to get in front of Sasuke and vice versa. They really didn't need a repeat of last time when Sasuke set an inhuman pace. Hana watched the young man and decided that she was happy for Sakura to see him. It was hard to separate the fact that he made her daughter unimaginably happy and therefore he was good. She thought of all the times Sakura had literally skipped in the door when she was in middle school because he had just _spoke_ to her that day.

Plus he didn't like her husband so the boy had good taste. He wouldn't have made such a splendid mistake of marrying such a…

She watched as Kenji blatantly tried to push Sasuke into a bush.

And there were _no_ words. None whatsoever to describe the man. He discouraged her constantly and she seemed to have lost her faith in the male species. He never used to be like that thought… Kenji… he was her one and only love.

But they had already turned into an old married couple and it wasn't like they were old (much) well she wasn't. It disturbed her when Sakura spoke up, it disturbed them all.

"Uh guys…" Sakura said from all the way at the back. "Where are we actually going?"

* * *

He promised.

"Left!"  
"Right!"  
"Left!"  
"Right!"

Sakura looked on in apprehension, biting her lip and Sasuke had _promised_.

"You have no idea where you are going!"  
"I know exactly where we are going!"  
"So do I! It's called getting lost! Look right here!"  
"Give me that map!"

The map was snatched and threatening looks exchanged. At an all time critical level of testosterone she looked to her mother desperately-

Hana simply nodded.

Sakura tugged on Sasuke and he turned to her in fury. Her mother handled her father in a less discreet manner-

"KENJI SHUT UP! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHERE WE ARE GOING!"

"NO YOU SHUT UP!"

Sakura dragged Sasuke away. Far away.

"Sasuke you promised," she said trying to hold back and be as diplomatic as possible.

"What?" was replied sullenly. She stared at his tense jaw.

"You promised not to get competitive," she reminded and he looked to the side.

"He started it."

They didn't need this right now. She could tell from his attitude that he was forgetting the conversations they had about this trip. Why did he have to be so prideful?

"He's…" Sasuke strained before deciding to just say it "trying to break us up."

"What?" Sakura said frowning. That sentence did not match the conversation progression "Who?"

Sasuke knew she wouldn't get it. That there was something afoul.

"Never mind," he sighed and stiffened when she wrapped her arms around his stomach. He still jumped when she hugged him like this. He thought of their first time and how he couldn't even look her in the eyes after. He'd never been so loved by someone in his entire life and... _more_ than half the time he didn't know what to do with it.

"Sasuke… I know this isn't fair on you. I know my family is more like a life sentence but please just try."

"I have been trying," Sasuke said angrily, suddenly stepping back. "You tell him to back off."

She narrowed her eyes at him and he couldn't stand the feeling in his chest. Why did he have to fall in love with her? And why did he have to want to propose to her with her parents blessing? There was no way he was ever going to get it.

"Maybe this was a mistake."

She may as well have just slapped him and maybe they would never be married at all. It crushed her to say it but it flattened her when he gave her a bored look before drawling-

"You know it is."

* * *

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome to the Family**

It was amusing. It was oh so amusing. It was justice. It was _results_.

Sasuke alienated himself from the Haruno family going _all_ the way to the other end of the clearing never returning to the fold after his conversation with Sakura. It seemed when angry the boy shut down. The opposite of Hana who tired of the cold shoulder quickly and vented (keying her husband's brand new car for example). What did it really matter as long as _she_ felt better. She was pure unadulterated evil, but high heaven she felt better.

Sasuke was a unique case and he failed on the natural selection scale of adaptability. The boy looked like he could hold a grudge until his deathbed. He was moody, broody and unable to move forward.

Kenji was a very happy camper.

"Did something happen between you two?" Kenji asked, faking sympathy for his daughter's sake. "A fight perhaps?"

His wife scoffed as if it was all his fault.

"You could say that," Sakura said distantly.

Something terrible happened. Something god awful and just wrong. Kenji felt his stomach drop looking to his daughter's empty expression. Her hurting words… Sad eyes…

_No resist! _

"Honey…"

_What are you doing?!_

"Honey don't be upset."

_No, all our hard work!_

"How about we just set up camp here? Then tomorrow we can head back."

_Idiot!_

Kenji knew he was jumping the gun. In all honesty Sasuke should be kept around longer in the tense situation because leaving them to their own devices in the real world lead to a joint apartment, access to heart wrenching phone calls and dreaded make up sex.

He openly shuttered at the mere concept. Disgusting. They would get back together and Sasuke could turn Sakura against him! If he was in her ear it could all turn out like his bosses son and the monster he fell for. He looked to Sakura who nodded miserable. His little girl wasn't like that. He glared over at Sasuke u_nless he got to her._ He remembered how unhappy the boy made her in high school, in fact all her life.

Now was a prime example.

So being the bench mark of all loving fathers he did what was best.

"OI UCHIHA! MOVE YOU'RE SCRAWNY ASS! HELP US SET UP THE TENTS!"

* * *

He. Was. Not. Scrawny.

Sasuke viciously hammered a tent peg into the hard earth with a single hit. He didn't care if everyone was looking at him. Sakura thought it was a _mistake_ to bring him here and dare let him associate with her family. Now he had issues with Mr. Haruno AND Sakura. He blinked at the mother... he had no issue with her.

_Yet._ _The apple never falls far from the tree_.

He looked up to the man whose daughter really was the apple of his eye briefly.

He. Was. Not. Scrawny.

He was six foot one for the love of high heaven and what was that old man thinking? He got hired on how fit he was. Sure he was slender but scrawny? How insulting.

He looked down and maybe he was being oversensitive, blowing it out of proportion. Or was he… Orochimaru his past agent had told him if he put on some weight he'd get more job offers…

He hadn't realized the tent was done and bee lined around Sakura and what was she looking at? Did she think he was scrawny as well? He almost paled knowing he had been naked in front of her and what if she really wasn't as into it as she looked and secretly thought he was-

He stopped suddenly and his mind cleared instantly as Mr. Haruno stretched and his beer belly flopped out.

Of course Sasuke was scrawny. An elephant would be scrawny compared to _that_.

* * *

All the Haruno's blinked as the second tent was erected in under a minute. Sasuke hammering this and that and shoving parts together with perfect precision like he was on auto drive.

"So like… was he a boy scout?" Hana questioned. She wasn't complaining. Having someone around (that got things done) was not to be complained at but the boys face was _completely_ void and it hadn't changed through the whole episode. "How does he just do that?"

"I don't know…" Sakura said slowly and she felt a lump rising in her throat. In all honesty she felt like crying.

_Sasuke…_

Kenji watched as Sasuke moved mechanically, rigidly and with a complete lack of empathy.

Oh my god. It was the epiphany of his life.

"I know…" Kenji breathed before turning to his family dramatically "It's because he's a robot!"

* * *

"I'm going to get some water," Sasuke drawled suddenly and Sakura couldn't help it following after him.

"I'll come with you."

* * *

Kenji had been watching _far_ too much television.

"That's is why he was able to run all that way without breaking a sweat… that's why he is able to disassemble and reassemble the whole cooking set without the instructions and stay under the water for so long without coming up… and that Hana is why the boy is so darned... pretty!"

She had no relation to him whatsoever.

"He's an android."

Same last name? C_ompletely_ coincidental.

"Kenji you're delirious and ridiculous and shut up."

That summed it up nicely.

It made her stiffen and her heart stop. "How did I ever love a woman so closed minded?" her husband snapped looking away.

Hana felt whatever was left in her break because he used _past_ tense… he just said that he didn't… he didn't…

Sasuke came back hauling two buckets of water and she was so dazed walking over to him.

Kenji said he didn't love her…

It surprised her how easily a pale person could turn pink as she pressed her hand up against the boy's bicep, his silly fringe in his face which she guessed was deemed attractive in her daughters age group. She could not ignore the strength in his muscles saying on a whim "it's nice to have a big _strong_ man around the place. You must work out _a lot_."

She wasn't lying (enjoying every second of her husbands insane vein popping jealousy maybe she thought so, yes). But at least she couldn't add lying to her childish list of paybacks and in the heat of the moment she thought _oh my god_ as she pushed back a loose strand of his hair _I've regressed. _

Surely she was going backwards to go forwards. Lately she figured with how petty and stubborn they were both being it was impossible to love. Why she was bothering to contend for his heart she didn't know.

_This game I am playing is a dangerous one. _

As her daughters boyfriend backed up jerkily, reminding her that he was human and embarrassed about what happened last night…

She realised a very fine line.

* * *

Sasuke ignored the heat in his cheeks with a smirk.

Yep. He was so _not_ scrawny.

* * *

Inhale.

_SPLASH_

Sakura dropped her bucket of water, soaking her sneakers and the lower part of her legs.

Her mother just flirted with her boyfriend. Her _mother_ and her _boyfriend_ just engaged in unsuitable married and taken sexually suggestive conduct.

Exhale.

Nobody looked to her. Her mother didn't and Sasuke certainly did not. She was completely betrayed and the envy she felt was uncalled for and feasting upon all her insecurities.

_The hell?!_

She had some sense dragging her boyfriend far away resisting the urge to throw him against a tree due to her lack of control.

"What?" was said irritably.

And no. He didn't just say that.

"Yes exactly what! What the hell was that?"

Furious eyes/blank look.

"What?"

Oh and did he like to push it. His luck, his boundaries and his loving loyal girlfriend as close to the edge as possible.

"You know exactly what! My mother was touching you and you were _letting_ her. You were blushing!"

Guilty. Charged. Throw away the key.

"Like a tomato!"

Sasuke was embarrassed again and it made her almost shake because he _never_ got embarrassed.

"Look… I told her something that wasn't for her ears." Sasuke admitted begrudgingly. He recalled dreadfully how he had told the fourty something year old woman he loved her, thinking it was Sakura.

"What did you tell her?"

He couldn't help it going red again. This was why in his head it was on the first night when he crawled into bed with her and she would be so happy and not able to see him embarrassed as hell. "…it's nothing."

Sakura was almost crippled under her depression. He never shared anything.

"Your mother is like you Sakura," Sasuke said suddenly "But she's not you."

He had seen her sad face and tried to make it brighten, _mistake _rang in his ears but her unhappiness seemed louder.

"So is this just your retarded way of trying to reassure me you are not attracted to my mother?" Sakura said vehemently.

It was Sasuke's turn "The hell?" he said his face contorting. Had Sakura gone insane? Where in the hell did that come from?

"Well you two have been _awful_ friendly."

And again.

"The hell?" he exasperated. Anything would seem friendly compared to the way her father treated him. Sakura was ready to stomp away, turning her back on him. It wasn't his style. This trip had seemed to bring out things in him that wouldn't ordinarily surface.

"Sakura the only girl I am interested in is you."

That didn't make the things he said any less true. Sakura came to a stop and couldn't separate her beating heart from the rest of her body.

"Sasuke…" she said uneasily "I have had to compete with all the other girls for your affections, but my own mother?"

She didn't understand that he didn't understand. He didn't see what she did. He didn't see opportunities to be taken away by other women. His affections were not something that was won, a difficult conquest and just some prize.

They were his and only his to give. As he shook his head he had only ever given them to her.

"Sakura your being irrational," he said calmly.  
"Would you stop being so mature about this!"

He really didn't get it.

"Do you understand how upset I get and how jealous when I see you with someone else?"

_Please Sasuke... just understand my feelings... _

"No Sakura," was said lazily. "I don't understand."

She bowed her head, almost bursting as he walked past her, signifying he had had enough. She did not trust him and he hated that.

"All I understand is that you are paranoid."

* * *

"Fishing?" Sasuke said slowly looking to the lake.

"Yes."

"With you?"

"Yes. We need to eat don't we?"

Kenji sat down indicating him to do the same.

Hell had frozen over.

* * *

Hana gave an apologetic look when Sakura folded her arms

"Mum…" Sakura said warningly in response to what she had just been told. "Weren't you the one that taught me playing with a man's heart is a sure way to breaking it?"

Hana sighed, reframing from collecting more firewood. "I did."

"And messing with dad by using my boyfriend?"

"But you see… your father hates Sasuke."

"Mum," Sakura said tiredly and Hana knew her daughter was taking more of the mothering role nowadays. She knew it was silly and childish. "Making him jealous makes me feel better."

"I know you two are having trouble."  
"That is an understatement," Hana sighed. "Honey I am sorry for bringing you and Sasuke into this. It seems your father and my problems are rubbing off on to your relationship with Sasuke."

"Not exactly…" Sakura whispered and Hana mental noted to confront her calmly about it later.

"I promise never to do something as low again."

* * *

"I don't like you."  
"I figured."  
"I don't."  
"No kidding."  
"I really don't like you."  
"It's mutual."

"But I do respect your efforts," Kenji finished.

Kenji resisted the urge to leer as Sasuke looked to him in the rippling reflection of the water, his face void but none the less intrigued.

Kenji sneered; little did the boy know this was going to be the final nail in the tailored exact to his measurements coffin.

"So how about we discuss you and Sakura's dating history?"

The boy was artificial intelligence.

"The past is the past," Sasuke said an urgent (so not desperate) finality to his tone. He wasn't stupid and knew suicide when he heard it.

Kenji leveled his gaze "Your right… I guess I know plenty enough already."

He watched Sasuke try to determine the best reaction for the situation.

"Just thought you might like to give me your side of the story."

Silence was his indication.

_Go. Go. Go! _

"I know you dated Karin for six months, she was a right nasty piece of work apparently."

Christmas had come early, the boys eyes hardening. Kenji hadn't dreamed it would be that easy to get a reaction.

"Is that what Sakura said?" Sasuke said sourly.

Playing the misunderstood, over-protective father.

"… look in all honesty I have to protect my daughters best interests-"

"She did didn't she?" Sasuke pushed, voice creeping to anger.

"…Short answer… yes."

Kenji hid his gleeful smile as Sasuke shook his head turning away and he could feel the teenage sweetheart angst from here. He was about to open a can of worms (not for fishing) and unleash the 'you are not suitable for each other' card. Sasuke at twenty something was still insecure as hell about all those high school years ago.

Beautiful.

* * *

Sasuke looked into the distance, vaguely watching Sakura duck between the trees searching for firewood.

Karin and his relationship had nothing to do with her. Sakura had been insanely jealous of Karin and he didn't understand. He dated Karin back when he was a junior and it wasn't like it was an epic romance (even a romance at all).

It was just a thing that happened.

What he hated most was that Sakura could never accept that. She still said snide comments about Karin and he and Karin were just friends. Didn't she understand the only person he was interested in was her? The fight they had just before wasn't an anomaly either. She had accused him of having a wandering eye before.

She didn't know him at all…

"Now of course my daughter has dated before you."

Sasuke looked to old man Haruno with a slight frown. Sakura told him she hadn't been with anyone besides him…

"Yeah," Sasuke said not breaking character. Sakura told him everything… yeah. A father couldn't possibly know as much as a boyfriend. Never, ever, never.

"That Rock-Lee really was something."

Sasuke actually felt his insides twist. Sakura had told him that she had never dated Rock-Lee.

_She lied to me. _

"A true gentle man. Chivalrous to boot, did you know he bought my daughter a bouquet for every day of spring they were together? Now they were compatible. Together for such a _long_ time. Now that was true love."

Sasuke's mouth tensed at her lies his stomach churning.

He finally understood.

Kenji didn't bother to hide the victorious look from his face when he got up and left.

* * *

Sakura trudged admissibly across the forest floor. She had almost given up on collecting firewood all together. She couldn't get how her relationship with Sasuke had just self destructed in under 48 hours.

She felt she had been hard on him. It wasn't his fault he was desirable.

She dragged her eyes from the grass and almost screamed at the presence before her. Her hand over her chest, she realized it was Sasuke. Misery seemed to attack her from every side, drowning the past fear.

"You almost gave me a heart attack."

He took steps forward; such purposed driven steps that it had her retreating. His face looked determined and his eyes wild.

"Sasuke?" she breathed, back right up against a pine tree. He stood directly in front of her, overbearing "Sasuke you're scaring-"

He cut her off with a kiss. Her heart pounded at the intensity and the way he leaned his body into her, desperate to be held. He pulled away but only enough for air when she gave him a breathless look.

"I get it."

They were kissing again and she gave a squeak when she was picked up. She wrapped her arms around his warm body, kissing back. He had a tendency to blow her mind. The way he repeated 'I get it, I get it' over and over again didn't seem to register in anything other than background sound. They were back.

"I don't want to fight with you."

It made her smile at his words and the incredible moment.

"I don't want to fight with you either."

He pulled away from her kiss. It startled her as he gave a firm "no Sakura, I _really_ don't want to fight with you. Don't make me say it again."

…Was he blushing?

"Sakura… I lov-"

_Donk._

The intimacy of the moment was defeated fatally with one precise hit to the back of Sasuke's skull.

She didn't even _need_ to look down to know.

* * *

Sasuke twitched his eye like he was twelve all over again. He seethed when his mind formulated the assaulting object, lying innocently on the earth beneath him.

_Another Pinecone!  
_

* * *

Mourning.

Kenji was sniveling miserably, heart broken and defeated. His arm was still extended and no, no, no it was not supposed to be this way. His plan, his beautiful plan!

It had failed

Even worse than failure because it had gotten Sakura and Sasuke closer together. Scary closer together, in the process of making (dark haired, bored faced, hates their grandpa) little baby grandchildren scary together.

"There, there Kenji," his wife sympathized. Her words bought twisted comfort in his crushed soul.

He froze from his anime style tears when a head whirled around like clockwork, having figured out the trajectory of the throw (_impossible_!) settling on him with onyx-eyed-periscope-view.

The next thing that came out of Kenji's mouth had birds taking flight in every direction when his wife erupted in response to his accusation.

* * *

"For the last time Kenji the boy is NOT a robot!"

* * *

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Welcome to the Family**

All hope was abandoned. The two most important men in Sakura's life were facing off. She felt trapped placing a hand on either of their chests, pushing them apart. She was hurtling brain waves at Sasuke to _relax, relax, relax_ and for her father to _leave him alone, leave him alone, leave him alone_.

But Sasuke was not gifted in ESP.

Her father was no mind reader.

And it was an all time low.

The moment was so tense it was threatening atomic. She had seen Sasuke this worked up before with Naruto… but her father? She had never seen him this bad.

"We never got to finish fishing."

* * *

The fish weren't biting.

Kenji was an ass.

And the fish weren't biting.

Sasuke stared at the fishing rod with distain. This was just a ploy to keep him away from Sakura wasn't it?

_Stupid old man. _

"The fish aren't biting," Kenji ground out at the serene clear blue water.

_Well look at captain state the obvious. _

"You probably scared them away," Kenji grumbled. He was a _great _fisherman and the only thing wrong with this picture was Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke.

_I'm sick of this._

Sasuke left and Kenji scoffed. "What's wrong Hollywood! Can't handle- Ahhhh!"

Kenji jumped out of his skin when Sasuke returned with a sharpened stick and he was trying to kill him! Put his head on a stick!

Sasuke went to the edge of the water, drawing his hand back and stood completely still.

Was he…

And no… it wasn't what it looked like. Sasuke hunched over the water.

Unless…

Kenji burst out laughing.

"Are you serious?!"

"…"

"Spear fishing!?"

"…"

"That will never work!"

_Wham!_

Kenji had wide eyes when a big fat fish was pulled out the water. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him.

He just _spearheaded_ a fish.

Sasuke- infinity points

Kenji-0

* * *

Four fish… going on five. Sasuke was a machine (another point for his robot theory). Sakura and Hana looked on with interest, Kenji turned up his nose-

"Barbarian."

* * *

Hana was quiet happy to be eating fish, she was sure she could cook them well.

"All we need is a fire."

* * *

Sasuke began setting up a text book, picturesque foundation for the fire. Neatly laying out the firewood in perfect autonomy for the optimum chance of being ignited-

_SNAP _

Hiss.

_THUD_

"That's not how you light a fire," Kenji scoffed withdrawing his foot from the Uchiha's (pathetic) attempt at looking like he knew what he was doing. Surely the boy was a mothers dream in the neatness department with the cute (useless) display of pattern alignment skills.

"Never send a boy to do a mans work."

Kenji needed revenge for the fish.

"_I'll_ show you how it's done."

* * *

Primitive male pointing techniques. Sasuke gestured to his poor fire with a grunt.

_Look. You ass. _

The senior man gave a bark, kicking the rest of it away.

_Me make own fire. _

Right _punching _hand was fisted.

_Why I want old man daughter? _

Growl.

_I crazy. _

More kicking-Eye twitching-territorial madness.

Sakura sighed looking away from the pair wondering when she had bothered to learn stone age (AKA male) then she remembered she lived with Uchiha Sasuke.

_At least he has finally found someone he _can_ talk to... _

Her father jabbed him with a stick.

_Pale boy threat. _

Twitch. Jab again

_Leave daughter alone_

And she almost gasped as her father smirked.

_Or I kill pale (ugly) boy. _

* * *

Sasuke looked to the (messy) layout distastefully. What was wrong with his?

"Ah," Kenji sighed leaning back "now all we need is to light it."

Sasuke couldn't help but agree that it would indeed suffice.

Kenji reached into his back pack and went a shade paler than pale boy.

* * *

Below a cliff top far, far away was a beautiful cabin owned by a man (ahem AND woman) of good fortune. Within said cabin was a splendid counter top kitchen _and _on that counter top in the far, far corner was a little box of matches innocently awaiting the return of the fool who forgot them.

* * *

"KENJI!"

* * *

"You forgot the matches," Sasuke sneered as Kenji openly sweated "of all the things you forget the matches."

"Shut. Up."

Kenji glared when Sasuke gave a lazy shrug, "No matter. My dad taught me how to set fires when I was eight."

He could do it with his eyes closed.

Kenji spat vehemently. "Great, my daughter together with an arsonists son."

Sasuke paused from getting a piece of bark. Kenji raised an eyebrow.

"Take that back," Sasuke breathed and Kenji too annoyed with his past idiocy did the only thing he could, he waited until Sasuke went away (to have brooding alone time) and dampened all the bark that was collected and got a dry piece setting to work.

When the Uchiha came back he was none the wiser trying again.

But really upset…

* * *

"Why isn't it working?" Sasuke exasperated. His cheeks were smeared with ash because he just realized when he couldn't actually do something he rubbed his face.

This had never happened before. He'd been at it for at least an hour.

He felt like a failure.

* * *

Kenji hissed under his breath. He was hungry and tired and the damn thing just wouldn't light. He almost regretted sabotaging. He looked over to Sasuke-

That was when he heard the cheer.

* * *

Sakura cheered as a spark ignited the fire pushing her rosette hair back, warmth washing over her. Hana dropped the two pieces of rock leaning back in the warm glow.

"Amateurs."

* * *

"Are they still looking?" Hana said lazily as Sakura cast a look back to the wounded ego's among the trees, staring transfixed at the fire.

"Yep."

She couldn't help but think _beautiful_ and _take that Kenji_. She looked to her husband who immediately turned his nose up at her. Sasuke was still staring at the fire and Sakura gestured him over.

"Sasuke… you're fish for our fire."

* * *

Sakura leaned back into Sasuke as they sat around the fire enjoying the delicious smell of the fish cooking. Sakura noted he was a little unhappy (and dirty) and he seemed to have got his hair stuck every which way.

"You look like a savage."

She touched his blackened cheeks before looking to her mother "Doesn't he rock dirty heathen?"

Hana looked to Sasuke properly instead of concentrating on filling everyone's stomach and couldn't help but laugh. Sakura giggled kissing his forehead trying to make him cheer up.

* * *

The darkness was ominous.

A lonely man crouched.

The wind howled.

He shivered.

Laughter cut through him like a white hot knife and he looked to the awful sight of people he loved (and hated) around a camp fire.

Without him…

He concluded that Sasuke wasn't the type to crack a joke so he could only assume they were all laughing at _him_. Kenji tried fruitlessly to lord over fire his stomach aching for food.

Suddenly he only had himself to blame.

* * *

Hana bit into her fish.

_Stupid Kenji just get over it._

"Mum… what about dad."

_You are going to freeze._

"He knows where we are."

* * *

Kenji sniffed miserably. Sasuke got _invited_ over. He bought something to the table.

He felt useless and… old.

The sound of the world smallest violin playing the saddest song in the history of the world-

That was until Sakura caught his eye urging him to join them.

* * *

Instantly two people tensed when he entered the perimeter, he stalked a little on the outside.

But his wife and Sasuke were sharp.

He selected his spot carefully. His wife literally crawling away from him to create distance. He looked to Sasuke who narrowed his eyes, his chin resting a top Sakura's head and the pair looked like a totem pole.

He was not welcome.

"You hungry dad?"

Sakura offered her fish over and he bowed his head, his daughter was so giving and he didn't deserve fish. He didn't help at all today.

"Thank you honey but only if Sasuke agrees"

Sasuke stiffened and Kenji almost covered his mouth. He didn't mean to say it…

"He caught it."

He did have respect because if Sasuke was not here his girls would not have had fish tonight.

A begrudging, "It's okay."

Fish handed over and it wasn't a peace offering…

But it was a start.

* * *

Kenji had been taken down a peg just as Sasuke had, Sakura was uneasy and Hana was… Hana.

Kenji watched how comfortable Sasuke and Sakura were resting on each other and letting the fire make their eyes tired. He wanted that with his wife as they had both been shifting closer to each other sub-consciously…

So he rested a finger on her shoulder-

Only to draw it away quickly when she yelped "Spider!"

* * *

Sasuke was jutted from his daze, Sakura likewise. They almost fell asleep.

"We should turn in."

She gave a nod when they both got to their feet and trudged over, Sakura immediately crawling into a tent and Sasuke froze watching her bend over and disappear.

He looked to the side choosing his words carefully "Looks like there are only two tents… guess I'll just have to sleep with Sakura-"

He was grabbed by the scruff of his neck and pushed one tent over, "Like hell you are," was hissed by Kenji "you can sleep in here."

They both shuttered as Kenji was forced to finish, "with me."

* * *

Sakura sighed knowing Sasuke wasn't going to be lying with her. She bit her lip.

Because she felt relieved.

And that was when her mother said those dreaded words; "we need to talk."

* * *

Sasuke stayed on his side of the tent, facing away.

Kenji folded his arms.

"Hn."

"What was that?" Kenji said instantly and Sasuke seemed to shift.

"That was you with the pinecones? You're trying to break me and Sakura up."

Hazardous tone.

"I don't know what you are talking about, it certainly wasn't me," Kenji said stubbornly. Sasuke was deadly quiet.

"Did you ever consider that maybe the sky is falling?" Kenji pushed and Sasuke shook his head.

"You did _not_ just say that."

* * *

"About what mum?" Sakura said turning and giving her mum an innocent smile.

"Don't try that fake smile with me. I am not your father or your boyfriend."

Sakura's plastic smile crumbled instantly.

* * *

Sasuke was on his back as was Kenji. They were both trying to calm themselves so as not to kill the other when they fell asleep. Sasuke wanted to know why he was so 'terrible' for Sakura.

"Okay it was me." Kenji admitted.

Sasuke sighed. "You have good aim to be confident enough not to hit Sakura."

Sound of mumbling from the next tent over.

"Or you just have a ridiculously large head."

* * *

"You said before that the problems you were having… it wasn't to do with your father and I."

Sakura felt her heart clench. She hadn't told _anyone _this before.

"I keep telling myself everything with Sasuke is fine," she breathed feeling sick. "But mum… it's the farthest thing from it."

* * *

Sasuke and Kenji were quiet and Sasuke wanted more information but he didn't know what to say. It was frustrating.

"You're annoying," was said simultaneously.

_Stupid old man. _

_Stupid little boy. _

They both mentally claimed, _that's my word_.

* * *

"He doesn't love me mum," Sakura whispered.

Hana's frowned slightly. The whole trip she had the knowledge that Sasuke did love Sakura.

_He said it on the first night… I thought… surely Sakura knows. _

Sakura was close to tears and Hana had hangman's remorse. If she told her little girl what Sasuke had said she could put her out her misery.

But Sakura deserved to hear 'I love you' from Uchiha Sasuke himself.

"Today when we made up… it was just kissing and we didn't talk about anything… we never talk… All this time… I feel like he has just found a comfort in me."

Hana looked to see Sakura almost shaking.

"Like I am a fling…"

* * *

"I'm not going away," Sasuke announced and he flirted with danger on a daily basis so why not nightly? "Get used to me."

Kenji turned to him and it was like trying to befriend a honey badger.

"And get over it." Sasuke snapped turning on his side facing away.

And no.

"You have put my little girl through a decade of hell. At least once a week I came home from work having to watch me daughter cry for a selfish, reckless boy. I came home to a daughter that refused to eat for almost a year because 'Uchiha Sasuke' called her heavy."

Sasuke slacked around his sleeping bag.

"I had to hear a psychologist say my daughter was an anorexic case with self-esteem issues."

Sasuke felt his stomach drop and Kenji turned away stoic.

"So tell me again how I am just supposed to 'get over' that."

* * *

"You know at the end of middle school I told him I was in love with him," Sakura blurted. "All that summer me and Naruto didn't see him and then when high school started it was like we were dead to him. He had new friends. A new image and we weren't good enough for him anymore. I cried so much-"

"I know," Hana said soothingly rubbing her daughters arm. "Honey I was there."

"He broke my heart mum…" Sakura choked. "In junior year when we Naruto and I went into that arcade and he was kissing Karin. Mum he was all over her... I told him I loved him and he…"

She almost couldn't say it folding her arms to hold her insecurities choker hold tight.

"If he didn't want me then what's to say he really wants me now."

* * *

"Sakura knows its different now," Sasuke said biting down at the end of his sentence. "The past is the past, she knows that. I'm no saint but she accepts that because she knows I'm different now."

_Otherwise why would she be with me at all?_

Kenji was silent and Sasuke gritted his teeth again before he just let go.

"Sakura… she was… so delicate… I wasn't used to girls… I didn't ask for her love… I didn't want it then."

Silence.

"To let someone else like my brother in… I couldn't take it."

Kenji looked to him.

"At the end of middle school he just left me," Sasuke said, hate (but truly hurt) filled words spilling out "I was so angry and she just had the worse timing… everyone I love… they just… leave."

_Die. _

He lay back.

_Everything I have ever loved… I feel like I'm cursed. _

"You hate your brother?" Kenji said placidly.

"…yes."

_Am I that transparent? _

And the next phrase was forever haunting.

"Me too..."

* * *

Sakura was crying and Hana was trying to resist the urge to get her father. Kenji was better with the tears than she was.

"_Don't cry sweetie, how about we go grab that blonde runt-"  
_"_Dad!"  
_"_Heh. And catch a movie, my treat." _

And she was unconsciously smiling on the inside.

"H-he doesn't understand mum. K-Karin she's a make up artist right and she _always_ turns up on sets he's working o-on. And I know the s-second we break up, she's going to be a-all over him."

Sakura felt her stomach twisting.

"I g-get so crazy jealous. I told him I c-couldn't stand that they were still friends and h-he goes 'Sakura, she's good value' what does that even m-mean!"

"Sakura…"

"How can I trust him if I do not t-trust her? It makes me sick to my stomach. We d-don't communicate. Not really…"

* * *

It was like instant bonding when you found someone else who had seen their hero fall apart. Someone who was betrayed by the person they admired most.

"…I can't believe she didn't tell me about Rock-Lee," Sasuke said throwing his head back.

"What?" Kenji said in confusion.

"Sakura?"

"Excuse me?"

"That Sakura dated that freak with the…"

Kenji was twiddling his thumbs. "Yeah…" he said slowly "I… lied about that."

Sasuke scrunched up his face.

"…Evil."

* * *

"With Ino's wedding she is so busy and I can't talk to Naruto and you and dad have your own problems-"

"Sakura calm down. I'm here now," Hana said strongly.

_I'm sorry I wasn't sooner. _

"Mum he got in trouble…" Sakura said almost in tears again "When he was seventeen… with some pictures he took for his portfolio. There all over the internet. And Sasuke… he acts like it never happened. We don't talk about it.

"Sakura…"

"This just awful man Orochimaru took these illegal photos in case Sasuke ever left him as an agent… every time I bring it up… he just won't… Sasuke he just won't…"

Hana pulled her into a hug, holding her tight.

"He just won't talk to me…"

* * *

"You are the silent type." Kenji mused "completely self centered and as stubborn as a mule. You won't admit defeat because that would mean you are wrong, although you are innovative you are incredibly selfish and introverted."

Sasuke looked absently forward.

"It's funny…" Kenji said, closing his eyes. "It really must be true that daughters pick partners exactly like their fathers."

* * *

Sakura hugged her mother tight.

"Sakura you need to tell Sasuke this."

"But I'm sick of being the one…" Sakura said exhausted, "that always puts her heart out on the line…"

Emotionally drained Sakura lay down thinking about how she was going to smile her way through this one.

Hana knew exactly what needed to be done tomorrow.

* * *

Hana stretched, crawling out the tent and blinking at the cleared area.

_What the?_

Her husband and Sasuke were packing up a tent _working_ together and _talking_ without death threats or spitting at one another.

She bashed on her tent "Quick Sakura! Get out here and make sure your mother is not hallucinating."

* * *

Sakura gave a small smile at her father and Sasuke, Sasuke gave a ghost of a smile.

But that didn't melt the cold feeling in her heart… he wasn't in love with her… he just liked her a bit, tolerated her.

She frowned slightly when her mother dragged him away.

* * *

"Ouch," Sasuke said rubbing his hand.

French manicures hurt. A lot.

"You…" Hana said darkly and Sasuke was taken aback, "Are finally going to man up and tell my daughter you are in love with her."

Hana pounded her fist into her open palm because Sasuke was head to toe in issues and defense mechanisms but the awesome gears of matchmaking were already in motion.

"And I am going to help you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome to the family**

"_You are finally going to man up and tell my daughter you are in love with her. And I am going to help you." _

Sasuke mused he and Sakura were like magnets because the second he started dropping back, so did she.

"_I don't need help." _

The grey skies above sent a drizzle of rain, soon to be storm. They were heading back.

"_I'm going to do it today." _

And he was going to tell Hanuro Sakura he loved her. A night of clarity was just reassured as he came to a complete stop.

"Sakura."

It wasn't nerve racking he told himself as she seemed to look right through him.

"Yeah?"

He took her hand in his and she looked down in shock. It was raining and kissing in the rain… she found silly things like that romantic. So he leaned down to kiss her and whisper in her ear that he loved her. To have her say it back-

Inches from her lips suddenly became a sharp step back by Sakura. Sasuke froze as she looked up to the sky, rain sliding down her body to the moist earth.

"It's raining," he cued quietly, reaching for her again in set back. He felt awful that this was such a big deal. Love should be free but the way he loved was confining and closed like a box and lid. She was more obvious in her rejection on the second attempt, giving him the side of her face. It was like she didn't want him to touch her…

"Why are you pushing this?" Sakura seemed to tire "I don't want to kiss you."

Suddenly everything was negatively charged as she walked away, crushing whatever remained feeble in step.

Sasuke was left wondering why love hurt so much, even when it wasn't out loud.

The rain hit harder.

* * *

Hana gave a shriek, covering her hair and ducking under a tree.

_Stupid_ nature.

No respect for 250 dollar hair treatment.

She looked to the daunting track, a forever stretch to go. Stupid storm and having no control over it.

Pink was a very difficult colour to maintain!

"Here you go."

Her eyes widened as a shirt was offered to protect her hair from the rain. Her _husband's _shirt. This was not like Kenji.

"You vain woman."

_That _was like Kenji.

But deep down it was no less kind. Just a Kenji defense mechanism she had forgotten how to breakdown. Her eyes fell to his pack on the floor and the straps that would irreversibly cut into skin without a shirt. _That would hurt him. _

She promptly pushed past him with a curt 'how unsanitary' setting up her own barrier.

She was soaked to the bone, hair ruined as she briskly walked all the way back.

* * *

Although their only child was a young adult, silence still irked parents.

"Where's Sakura?"

"…I think she went to her room."

"Where's Sasuke?"

Kenji mental noted _brooding _seeing the boy by the window in the kitchen.

"What's with the twenty questions?" he spoke raising his eyebrow at his wife who narrowed her eyes, hair in a towel from her shower.

"What's with the Kenji/Sasuke truce?" she pushed.

What _was_ with that? It was completely unpredictable.

Kenji stared blankly, "It's not a truce per se… it is an understanding."

_Well_ she thought heading on her search (not destroy mission) _you may have an understanding but I have an alliance. _

"Hana?"

She was stopped for a moment, "sorry about your hair."

She smiled, not letting him see. "You're just sorry you have to look at it."

* * *

He was window (un)happy. He was at the window and refused to budge, but he was clearly unhappy.

Watching the rain…

"You chickened out didn't you?"

It was much worse than simply chickening out.

_I got rejected. _

Mrs. Hanuro busied herself with the pots and pans. Cooking always relaxed her.

"You know failure is not an option."

He turned to her slowly.

"As you can't handle her all on your own, I'm going to have to step in. You need it."

Unbelievable…

"But first we are making high-fat content food to cheer us up."

And why he wanted to be apart of a family with such strong (bossy) women he finally knew.

Because they always came through for you when you needed them the most.

* * *

"Honey…"

Sakura almost clawed at her pillow. She didn't want to talk to anyone, least of all her dad.

"I have a headache."

She knew she should have gone with 'women problems' as he sat at the end of the bed. Nothing could make him run a mile like that time of the month.

"Honey… is this about Sasuke?"

She squeezed her eyes shut _how does he always know_?

"How did you…"

"It's always about Sasuke," was said with infinite wisdom and bitterly she sat up, giving him a surly look.

"What happened?" Kenji pushed "You are both really upset."

She almost scoffed because Sasuke was _not_ upset. He was just mad. He was just angry she walked away from him. She knew him, well all that he would _let_ her get to know.

Her father was brave in the face of the dark aura she emitted. Always had been, always would be because for all her mood swings and tough stances he knew she was truly fragile.

"Since when did you start caring about Sasuke?" she asked suspiciously.

"When I figured out he cared about you almost as much as me."

Unbelievable…

Kenji almost growled. "That doesn't mean I like him. In fact, he's still not good enough for you. But then again nobody ever will be."

He always knew how to make her smile.

"But sweetheart you can't hide away here. I can't stand to know you are unhappy. I know he wants to talk, I know you want to talk."

He always made her believe.

"Let's see if we can't sort this out."

* * *

Food bought people together. That is why Hana loved it. No matter who you were, you could appreciate good food. It was universal.

"So you just try again. The heart is persistent Sasuke."

Sasuke wasn't completely hopeless in the kitchen. He could crack eggs and stir decently (so unlike Kenji) and she guessed his parents had taught him to look after himself.

"I know," Sasuke grunted, rubbing his face. "I'll just try again."

It sounded _way_ easier than it really was. Hana could make schematics simple he swore.

Hana looked up and could not resist laughing. He had covered himself in flour. Even worse he wasn't even aware he was doing it, rubbing his face all the time.

"Just look what you've done to yourself," she said shaking her head.

* * *

"Look dad… mum… she feels unappreciated."

"What? I'm very appreciative," Kenji said stubbornly.

Sakura sighed, he was the one who asked her for help with his marriage and then shoots down her advice. "You say you hate her cooking."

"Yes because she keeps trying to put me on a diet!"

It was a fate worse than death! He'd much rather die, full and happy than of rabbit food overdose.

"Because she is trying to look after you, look dad she just feels the both of you haven't been the same in a long time, personally I think you just need to rekindle your marriage."

…

"Like repeat your vows or something."

Madness! Kenji felt his temper flare as they got to the kitchen. He knew his wife, repeating vows was more likely to make her dry heave than fix a rocky year.

"What would you know," was said uppity (without thinking) "Just look at your relationship."

Standing in the door of the kitchen, Hana and Sasuke _extremely_ close the former with her hands _all_ over the latter just look at Sakura's relationship indeed!

And his…

Maybe it was the sound of molars being ground together times two (the dentist was going to have a field day) or maybe it was Sasuke's _robot_ senses or something that had them realize they were being watched.

Had them pulling apart looking guilty when really innocent.

And Sakura running out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her.

* * *

Right damage control; "it's not what it looks like."

"We would never do that."

"I was getting flour off his face."

"She's old."

…Old?!

Fist in the direction of face because excuse me, old?! She was NOT old.

Of course it was dodged (finally she understood Kenji's pain).

"Look you twenty-something I am not old. I am _fabulous_."

Sasuke didn't care, oh no. He just screwed things up more with Sakura. The Sakura who was fairly capable of never being found if she so wished to hide. He didn't care about much anymore.

That is until Hana gave a devious look and her husband stopped glaring at Sasuke to raise an eyebrow. He knew that look.

"No matter," she breathed deranged (did lunacy run in this family or what) "we just made my home-made award winning chocolate éclairs. Yes… Sakura's favorite."

Sasuke knew they were all insane now as she bought her hands together, looking just like Mr. Haruno when he knocked him into the water.

"All will be well again."

* * *

It was like some kind of conspiracy (albeit a delicious one) that she could smell what she thought she could smell.

Sasuke watched as Sakura poked her head around the corner, like a tiny mouse peering out of its little mouse hole. She gripped the side of the wall setting her eyes on him and all she needed was whiskers.

She scurried away because damn it he was holding the plate! How cruel!

Coming back hesitantly towards the Sakura trap, she took dainty steps towards her two biggest weaknesses.

Stopping in front of him, "We need to talk."

She didn't want to. He-

"I got flour on my face, like the ash. She was getting it off."

He was making a lot of sense.

"Sakura she's o-"

Old… he had learnt his lesson!

"I wasn't happy about it," he said decidedly.

Small smile. That is what she wanted to hear giving him a shy hug. She was being silly about him and her mum, instead of shutting Sasuke out they needed to talk. He did help make a treat for her after all.

Treat…

Eyes set on plate.

Sigh.

"Just eat it already."

Plate. Snatched. Food. Devoured.

* * *

"Yes!"

Sweet (cream filled) victory.

"Are you spying on them?" Kenji interrupted slyly. Someone was influenced by there husband, he thought so, yes.

Hana spun almost having a heart attack with a defensive "No!"

She wasn't spying… she was affirming information…successful information! Yes, see what Kenji failed dismally to do (achieve his goals) she was setting the gears of matchmaking in motion like a house on fire. Goodness she was good.

They both watched the young couple. "Kind of reminds you of us when we were that age huh?" Kenji said quietly Hana giving a small smile.

It did…

"But then again I was much better looking than Sasuke."

Hana bristled and moved away. Kenji stunned finally figured it out. It wasn't a competition with Hana… it was just with himself.

It wasn't going to happen overnight… but he needed to begin focusing on his marriage. Not winning a meaningless fight. Not trying to always come out on top.

And maybe in time, she would begin to do the same.

Just like they used to.

* * *

Hana and Sakura stood over the sink peeling potatoes. It was quiet.

Until Hana nudged her daughter. "Do you want an explanation?"

Sakura didn't _need_ an explanation, this was her mother she loved her with all her heart and her mother loved her even more than that.

So she just nudged her back and they both felt their hearts lift.

That is until Sakura started talking about her parent's marriage.

* * *

All the ground that had been gained was lost Kenji giving Sasuke a hard look as they set the table. Then Kenji had that bite the bullet expression and Sasuke noticed.

"Sasuke…" Kenji whispered.  
"Why are you whispering?" Sasuke said shaking his head in confusion.

Wince.

"Ineedyourhelp."  
"What?"  
"I said; Ineedyourhelp."  
"You like kelp?"

Kelp?!

Sasuke was swiped at and rightfully so and kelp? Honestly.

"You idiot I need your help!"

Outburst. Cleared throat. Weird look.

"With what?" Sasuke said slowly.  
"My wife and you have been getting on well…"

There was no correct answer to that.

"So… any advice for my marriage."

It was highly insulting, incredibly rude and he hated Sasuke!

The boy laughed.

* * *

He had no support, stupid Sasuke.

No be a man and don't blame _the boy_.

So he went out on a limb.

"Delicious meal honey."  
"Thanks daddy," Sakura replied brightly.

He then lost that limb.

"I meant my other honey."

"Oh… Heh… I should have known." Sakura said nervously looking between her parents. Hana was frozen mid-bite. "I'm Sasuke's honey now, isn't that right?"

Sasuke stopped enjoying his meal because what was he supposed to say? Was that even aimed at him? Surely not. He tried to ignore the awkward stretching silence until there was an angry hiss.

Hana hit him in the back of the head for being an insolent being of sheer romantic retardation AND for missing a failed opportunity the block head.

Stunned, they all blinked. Someone had finally landed a hit on Sasuke.

"Nice."

* * *

"So what do you think of _our _accommodation Sasuke?"

"…very nice."

"Well, I am glad you like _our_ home. _We_ worked very hard to earn it."

"…"

"Built it from _our_ very own two… four… pairs, yes two pairs of hands, _our_ hands. The hands _we_ used to build _our _house. _Our_ house in the mountains."

"…good for you."

"Husband and wife, _we_ built this place _together_."

"Okay, why are you talking like that," Sasuke finally said irritably.

"_Why_? I'll tell you why. Because I love my _wife_ and my _daughter_ and I- _we, WE_, the mother of my- _OUR_ child and me built this beautiful summer occasionally winter vacation paradise... _together!_"

"…"

"I don't get it."

"If you are trying to impress me you failed."

"That was just awful. My ears hurt."

Right Kenji, go crawl away and die… there you go… they won't miss you-

"Who wants dessert?"

Go crawl away and die _after_ dessert.

* * *

"What on earth was that?" Hana said highly disturbed opening a can of tinned apples. She had bought all the food, planned all the meals. She had been prepared but she was in a panic now.

She hadn't been prepared for this.

"Maybe that was dad's way of trying to build a bridge."  
"Are you kidding. That was barely English."

_It was too English _Kenji thought crossly. He had to be more direct.

"Honey I need to talk to you."

And Sakura had the ninja stealth to, removing herself from the situation like lightning grabbing two bowls because she knew which honey he meant this time.

* * *

"There you are."

Sasuke sat in front of the fire, full and thinking of the gym. Sakura offered him a bowl and he shook his head.

"I'm not hungry."  
"Oh… I kind of made this for you…"

It wasn't as awkward when he snaked his arm around her, giving her a kiss. She wanted to talk to him seriously but chickened out to return the bowls to the kitchen.

* * *

"There is something I need to tell you."

Kenji frowned at Hana, she spoke before him…

"Look I know I'm difficult to put up with and we both know _you_ are difficult to put up with-"

"Hana-"

"No let me finish… what I am trying to say is, the state our marriage is in… its no one persons fault."

"I agree."

"…You do?" Hana said uncertainly. Did he just agree with her outright?

"Absolutely. We are both to blame, but getting this marriage back on track…" Kenji breathed "Hana you are only going to be able to blame me when we are old and grey and Sakura shoves us into a dodgy old folks home."

"..."

"Because Hana, I have the guts to try and change. I am the one that is going to be taking those steps forward. I know I neglect you; I fight you when really it's only about winning and not about how much it hurts our relationship_. I know_."

Stunned.

"You don't you crazy, vain woman and that is why I- single handedly am going to save our marriage. Because I love you, and _that_ is my top priority."

And he couldn't even let her admit she was wrong without turning it into a competition "You arrogant jerk."

He smiled "Always and forever, I'll do anything for us. I'll even change, not try _I will_."

"Just shut up…" Hana spoke, pulling him in roughly by his shirt "and kiss me."

And he did.

* * *

"AH! Not the kitchen counter! We need to eat off of that!"

* * *

Scared for life.

She couldn't even enjoy Sasuke pulling his shirt up over his head.

"Disgusting."  
"Thanks," Sasuke retorted dryly.  
"No not you?" Sakura said shaking her head (still revolted) "Never you…"

He came down to kiss her and it really wasn't going the way he wanted.

"They were all over each other…" Sakura shuttered.  
"They get it on, we get it on, It's all-"  
"Don't you dare say its all good," Sakura accused keeping a firm arm on his shoulder.

_We still need to talk…_

"It's all relative," Sasuke finished. "Isn't this what you wanted Sakura? Your parents back together."  
"…yes."  
"Right. So stop thinking about them together," Sasuke said dipping down and she kissed back feebly. "And start thinking all about me," was said between kisses.

The second she did, she couldn't do this.

"Sasuke," was said without much tact "I'm not in the mood."

Sasuke sighed laying face down next to her. Great...

He listened to the pouring rain and he wasn't in the mood either, he felt completely vulnerable. "Sakura, I care about you a lot."

It was going to be a slow process. He had rushed into it the first night and look what happened. So he was just going to speak from the heart (no matter how long that took) and tell her he loved her.

Sakura felt her heart flutter, it was just words but it meant so much.

"Sasuke I want to talk to you honestly."

He felt an overwhelming emotion answering- "me too."

They both turned to each other, Sakura brushing his hair back and it was the perfect time.

"Sakura I-"  
"Sasuke I want to talk about the pictures."

He went into shutdown, everything went into shutdown.

"I don't want to talk about that."

Sakura bit her lip at the harsh indifference in his voice. He turned away. Started getting up.

"Just forget about it."  
"I won't forget about it Sasuke!"

She sat up in a flash and he tensed his jaw angrily. He needed to be out of this situation.

"I can't… Sasuke I can't. I need you to talk to me."

"And say what?" Sasuke hissed between his teeth "I'm handling it."

He was lying. He was not handling it! He was pretending like it didn't happen and it wasn't still there. It was driving her crazy!

"Just tell me why you took them in the first place!"  
"Because I goddamn trusted him alright! Is that what you wanted to hear?"

She thought that would have made it better but it just made it worse, it made him worse. It made him feel gullible. It made him feel… filthy.

It made him angry. He shouldn't be made to feel like that ever again.

"Are you happy now?"

He was very upset but she wasn't going to back down, her determination had sparked likewise and everything she had shut away inside was breaking out.

"I want to talk about Karin."

That threw him off because of how different the topics were but he knew what was coming. He glared at her spitefully.

"Sasuke I know her," Sakura started trying to keep calm.

"No you don't," he said listlessly. "You don't know the first thing about her."

She felt stretched to her limit. A hand curled at her side, crescent moon cuts forming on her palm. "I know she is still in love with you! Sasuke she is all over you! And you let her!"

"She's engaged Sakura."

It had the impact of a bomb, leaving her shell shocked.

"She's getting married."

Married… Sakura didn't even know she had a boyfriend.

That final part of her snapped and she slapped him hard across the face.

"Why didn't you tell me!? You bastard! I've been going crazy!"

In stinging pain Sasuke caught her hand when she went for him again. She was shaking in pure rage "Why did you put me through hell!?"

He looked amused! Damn it she was going to kill him!

"Because Sakura…" was said low. There was a bitter taste in his mouth. "You are supposed to trust me."

Once again her world was torn apart.

"Damn it Sakura."

He let go quickly and grabbed his shirt.

"It's what you do when you love someone."

* * *

Crying, crying, crying.

"Sakura?"  
"G-Go away dad!"

Why was she always crying?

"Please D-Dad. Please. Just go a-away."

Why was his little girl always crying?

* * *

They heard the fight and the way Hana saw it they had two options.

Kenji goes into that guest bedroom and destroys everything that can move

Or she could go in and do… something.

She didn't knock, immediately regretting it when he was half dressed, sitting on the bed. She found words eventually, they formed unexpectedly.

"There is a boy and there is a girl."

She spoke abstractly, not sure, not certain but at the same time taking the bull by the horns.

"They love each other and it should be simple."

He looked so hollow, paper thin. He could crumble, he could disintegrate.

"Just tell me how it ended up like this."

Taking steps forward felt so much like backwards. Sitting on that bed feels like sitting with her husband as they comfort Sakura.

"He watches his parents get murdered."

She stiffened at the answer, such a detached voice.

"He watches his brother fall apart. He watches him leave, then die."

He sounded so distant, oceans away.

"They always get like this because he is damaged goods. It's my fault."

He lost it, crumbling before her. She pulled him into a hug and like the mother she was told him that everything was going to be alright.

* * *

She needed to talk to him. Tell him it was so hard to trust but they could work at it.

Running past her dad she burst into the room. Her mother. Him.

She didn't cry because it hurt too much, watching them break apart.

It was all over.

* * *

"Try her cell again."

He didn't belong.

"She's not answering."

"Damn it Sakura!"

Sasuke stared out the window at the lashing rain. She wasn't anywhere.

He didn't belong here.

"_I've been looking everywhere for you."_

He stared at the cliff top.

"_I used to come up here for almost whole days as a kid, it's so beautiful up here isn't it Sasuke?" _

He didn't belong here. He belonged at the top of that cliff.

* * *

Pulled out and put back in. Pulled out and put back in.

"You're so predictable."

He always managed to pull her back in.

Sakura hardly heard it, watching the pouring rain. The ground was slippery and moist.

"I feel like this trip has been very meaningful."

"I don't care how you feel Sasuke."

Colder than the chilled air where they would catch their death.

"Not anymore."

"I love you."

She quivered, every thought in her mind manifesting.

He spent so long trying and this was finally it.

"Sakura, I said I love you."

It was only then that he realized she was dangerously close to the edge. He was right behind her in an instant.

"I don't believe it!"

It happened to fast as she spun and slipped, screaming sharply. She would have went right over the cliff if he hadn't grabbed her and in a panic and flung her back.

And went over the edge of the cliff himself, plummeting down much like the raindrops, smashing to the earth.

* * *

"SASUKE!"


	6. Epilogue

A final dedication to ''seetheworld" for all the support. It is very nice to move this into complete. Thank you for reading everyone! I hope this ending brings everything together for you.

* * *

**Epilogue**

It hit like a hammer, pounding and aching. His head was swimming, drowned in a torrent of rain.

Or tears…

He opened his eyes, sensitive to the bright light. A white light… that couldn't be good.

But it was whitewash, whitewash of a little hospital room.

His body screamed out in agony and it wasn't until he realized it was because something was pressed against him.

_Sakura…_

"You're heavy…"

"Sasuke!"

And he passed out again.

* * *

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Well thankfully he is no longer critical. He was very lucky the ground was softened by the rain. This is unusual to say but the way he fell minimized the shock to-"

"No matter the medical costs we will pay it!"

"Dad… calm down."

"Honey let the doctor finish okay."

Tears stung an old mans eyes as his wife rubbed his back. He looked through the window to see a machine keeping a boy alive. Mechanics in motion, he thought of dying.

Because Sasuke was no robot. Kenji had never seen so much blood, so much broken bone- everything collapsing fighting to just breathe.

"I just want him to be okay…"

* * *

"It's my fault."

Someone was talking, it's a nice voice. He likes it.

"Sasuke… I'm sorry… I'm so s-sorry."

That he didn't like, crying. He opened his eyes slowly as viridian eyes came into focus. He blinked. She looked so sad…

"I'm s-sorry Sasuke."

She was falling apart, carefully moving his hair out of his face.

"No more hiding, no more insecurity. I do believe I do. I trust you. I'm sorry for all the doubt. Sasuke I'm sorry."

He found her hand and it was the weakest grip she had ever felt. It made her bite back a sob. She knew he hated crying.

"But what if you never walk a-again," her voice was shaky and he could feel her body quivering next to him.

She just wanted to cry, so scared.

He shut his eyes "Believe in me Sakura… really trust in me. It's going to be alright I promise."

He made an open resolution, at least with her. Meet each other in the middle.

"Sasuke I love you."

And it didn't take a seconds thought.

"I love you too."

* * *

"I'm sorry there is a high chance that he won't walk again."

* * *

It didn't happen overnight, mainly because he got whatever he wanted when he wanted. Kenji even tried to feed him which was disturbing as hell. He quote 'still didn't like him but figured he owed him' end quote.

Sasuke liked to think he secretly liked him.

So he wasn't really thinking when he did it. He was just thirsty. His lips were dry and chapped (which he hated) and the glass was all the way over _there_.

So he got up.

It hurt like hell, pain shooting up his spine but he wanted that damn cup. So he moved his feet stubbornly, because that is what Sasuke was.

Hana came back in the room dropping the tray she was holding, at the young man standing before her who had been decided not-to-be-able-to-do-that-anymore period.

Someone really should have told _him_ that.

Sasuke lowered the glass and raised an eyebrow because what did science know?

"Quick Sakura get in here and make sure your mother is not hallucinating!"

* * *

"You're okay…"

Sasuke was still. He promised didn't he?

"Sasuke your okay…"

Reflecting, he was going to take physiotherapy and return to work in six months. He was going to be walking out of this hospital, Sakura by his side. He was better than okay.

Sasuke and Kenji sat playing cards. He never lost at cards so of course Sasuke must be cheating.

But he didn't care. The boy was almost crippled saving his little girl. He marveled at the turn of events, cause and effect.

"So all this to tell my daughter you loved her?" he said lightly. "You're one dramatic guy."

Sasuke gave a gruff nod. It had been a lot more than he bargained for, that's for sure. He'd said it now (just ignore the fact it almost killed him) so at least it was over.

"Now all you have to do is propose," Kenji mused.

He watched Sasuke pale in amusement, giving a chuckle and hitting the dazed boy on the arm.

"Welcome to the family."


End file.
